This invention relates to bendable fabric-covered rod-like articles that may be readily bent for a variety of purposes and more particularly, for personal grooming. In this regard, the articles may be of any desired length to be used as a hair fastener, a hair holder for a ponytail, a hair curling rod, a headband, or even a necklace, or bracelet. Other uses unrelated to personal grooming may readily come to mind for use of articles of this invention.
Numerous devices are known for styling hair. One common type of device comprises an elastic band which may be used to encircle a bundle of hair to create a ponytail or secure the ends of a braid. A problem with this device is that it must often be encircled around a bundle of hair two or three times. Once it is tightly encircled around a bundle of hair, numerous hairs tend to get caught within its circles. Consequently, it is difficult to remove the device without also removing a quantity of hair. Furthermore, these elastic bands are often inserted so tightly that the scalp can become sore and irritated.
Other devices clip onto, or around, a bundle of hair. The most common of these devices is the barrette. A problem with these devices is that the clip is not adjustable for use with different size bundles and thicknesses of hair. As a result, a barrette may work fine with an average size bundle of medium-weight hair, but the same barrette may have too large and cumbersome of a clip to be used on a bundled of very fine hair. The barrette may also have too small of a clip to engage a large bundle of extremely dense hair.
Other known personal grooming devices comprise a bendable member which may, in fact, encircle different size bundles and weights of hair. Examples of such devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,414 to Fox, et al. (1987), U.S. Pat. No. 5, 875,792 to Campbell, et al. (1999), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,647 to Fenster, et al. (1986), wherein described devices are comprised of a bendable member encased in a foam covering. Many such foam covered devices serve first as an apparatus with which hair is curled and not as a decorative accessory. However, in the cases where these foam covered devices are worn to accessorize as well as fasten the hair, they can often appear xe2x80x9cclunkyxe2x80x9d and add unnecessary weight to the hair. Also, the foam covering is rather limited in the variety of textures and patterns with which it may be created. Furthermore, these foam covered devices require specialized and often very expensive machinery to produce. U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,589 to Black (1997), presents a similar bendable article encased in vinyl plastisol, presenting the same limitations in texture and pattern as well as expensive equipment. And, U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,152 to Dutch (1994), though encased in fabric, is limited merely to the functions of a hair roller and still incorporates foam at it""s center, resulting in a similarly bulky and xe2x80x9cclunkyxe2x80x9d appearance. Subsequently, the hair styling devices heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages.
A need therefore exists for a fashionable article of personal grooming that, when used to fasten hair, is comfortable to wear, does not rip hair out when removed, is adjustable to a variety of hair textures, is lightweight and aesthetically pleasing in appearance, is available in wide variety of textures and patterns, and inexpensive to create.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a personal grooming device is provided. This device comprises an elongate flexible member encased in an elongate flexible sheath. The flexible member is preferably a wire with two cut ends made blunt either by dipping the two cut wire ends in a substance which hardens into a rounded tip at each end of the wire or by bending or folding the cut wire ends back along the wire to form a loop. The encasement or sheath is secured at each end of the encased wire, so as to prevent the separation of parts. The encasement is preferably made of narrow fabric or leather tubing, cord, or strips of fabric or leather sewn together to make a narrow casing. Encasement made of fabric or leather will be referred to as xe2x80x9cfabric encasement,xe2x80x9dxe2x80x9cfabric tubing,xe2x80x9d or the like. Preferable closure is achieved by a knot in the fabric tubing or cord at each end of the encased wire or by sewing the ends shut. Another preferred closure is achieved by tightly binding the fabric tubing or cord beyond the encased flexible member with plastic tips, as is seen on the ends of shoelaces. Articles of the present invention may be of any desired length to be used as a hair fastener, a hair holder for a ponytail, a hair curling rod, a headband, or even a necklace or bracelet.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for fastening an amount of hair is provided. The method includes the step of laying an amount of hair over the shaft of the fastener device. The method continues with the step of crossing the two ends of the fastener device around the amount of hair and then twisting the fastener device ends toward each other so as to hook the two ends into place around the amount of hair.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:
(a) to provide a hair fastener that is comfortable to wear as well as quick and easy to insert;
(b) to provide a hair fastener that is adjustable for a wide range of hair textures and thicknesses;
(c) to provide a hair fastener that is lightweight and aesthetically pleasing in appearance.
(d) to provide a hair fastener that is available in the endless variety of textures and patterns available in fabric. Articles of this invention can even be made of fabric exactly matching an article of apparel, an advantage that the prior art does not offer;
(e) to provide a hair fastener that is inexpensive to produce and does not require new specialized machinery to create;
Further objects and advantages are to provide articles which may be appropriately worn for a variety of occasions, from casual to formal, which promote creativity in hair styling by the endless styling possibilities they offer, which can be combined by twisting or hooking two or more articles together for an even greater variety of hair styles, and which may be used in a variety of ways other than to accessorizes or fasten hair, such as in a bracelet, necklace, or anklet. Still further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.